FIRST ON 3: Record number of false turtle crawls reported at Holden Beach

HOLDEN BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Watching a turtle lay its eggs can be a rare site, but some eager onlookers could be to blame for those eggs not being laid at all on one Brunswick County beach.

Each summer turtles make their way out of the ocean and onto the shores of Holden Beach to build nests. Sometimes, though, excited tourists can scare the turtle away and back into the ocean before it’s able to lay its eggs. It’s called a false crawl, and it can lead to the loss of more than 120 hatchlings.

“She has a very short time frame for laying her nest. If she can’t find a satisfactory nesting site, she’ll go back in the water, and then she’ll drop her eggs in the water,” said Skip Hager of the Holden Beach Turtle Patrol. If that happens the eggs are ruined.

Usually the turtle patrol finds an equal number of nests and false crawls, but so far this summer it’s had 20 false crawls and just 12 nests.

If you see a turtle: do not take flash photos. Keep quiet. Do not touch or get close to her. Call the Holden Beach Sea Turtle Stranding at (910) 754-0766 and wait for a call back. Stand back and watch quietly.

Leave a Reply

Nature would care for them if humans were not decimating their numbers to the point of extinction for some species. They are still killed by the tens of thousands globally, intentionally and accidentally. Just look at the Gulf of Mexico right now.

We have a responsibility to assist those species we are most negatively affecting.

Let the police woryy about all the other issues you raise. That’s why we pay taxes. No one, however, is looking out for the turtles except volunteers who give of their time. Be thankful we have people who do care!

0

| - Share

Guest6381

2015 years 8 months ago

I’ll never understand what is the big to-do about turtles? There are drunks running up and down our roads killing others, nice dogs in shelters facing execution, illegals running around sucking up our tax dollars and not putting anything back, selling drugs, gang shoot-outs, yet some choose to adopt turtles as their “cause”. Maybe they (turtles) should be left to nature to care for them.

0

| - Share

GetIt

2015 years 8 months ago

Are you kidding me? Humans ruin everything around them/us. We kill ourselves, each other and now we are even at fault for not allowing nature to take it’s course. Why shouldn’t some good folks try to stick up for the turtles, since we destroy EVERYTHING else. Including our oceans in which these turtles live. With all the oil now in it, caused by HUMANS, these turtles may become extinct….. as we will become soon too.

0

| - Share

Guest121

2015 years 8 months ago

They are trying to leave it up to nature,but someone gets in the way.About the humans,its funny how most pro lifers care so much about the unborn,but once the’re born they don’t care about them any more.

0

| - Share

Guest

2015 years 8 months ago

I think it’s wonderful how we go to such lengths to protect the unborn turtle. When do we start doing that for humans?

0

| - Share

Guest

2015 years 8 months ago

What about the unborn humans?

0

| - Share

Office Fan

2015 years 8 months ago

Why go this length for turtles? Because many of these species are critically endangered and on the brink of extinction…thanks to mankind. Last time I checked, 6.5 billion humans places us safely out of the extinction risk category.

The shortsightedness of some people fails to amaze me. If you don’t believe in the efforts to help turtles that is your choice, but keep your crap to yourselves because many people out there (including myself)love turtles and will continue to support the efforts to save them.

My guess is you are the same people who will drive down a highway and not think twice about running over a turtle trying to get across the road instead of stopping and moving it to safety.

0

| - Share

syntax error

2015 years 8 months ago

Maybe if we greedy humans hadn’t taken up so much of the turtles’ nesting area we humans wouldn’t have to worry about them.

0

| - Share

Guest374734

2015 years 8 months ago

Please don’t compare human birth to the laying of eggs by a turtle.

0

| - Share

Guest

2015 years 8 months ago

At no point did I say anything about not protecting turtles. That’s fine. My question is why don’t we celebrate the one’s who protect human life. I am also saddened by the oil spill, however, if you would like to present a viable energy alternative that works, I’m all ears……

0

| - Share

Guesthhhghgghh

2015 years 8 months ago

Well in my opinion of turtles is why we have give up everything to save a turtle and when they go out to sea ,then people in other countries are just going to eat what you save. Turtles are a great meal to people in other countries located on the oceans.That just like net fishing,people in this area eat more seafood than turtles.So i would say ,keep on catching seafood with nets and save the people in the area by having a source of food.